1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, Va., 22307; 703-765-5950 Sunday Services: 9:15 and 11:15 am
This Sunday's Services:
“Science and Religion: Can This Marriage Be Saved?”
ICNA and The Rev. Chris Buice
You may be familiar with the advice column where people send in letters asking "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" Our guest minister received a similar letter from a struggling couple, like science and religion, and although he had never before done couple's counseling in the advice column format, he dutifully made his best effort to respond. Come see if you agree with his advice.
Please remember to turn your clocks back one hour this weekend.
Share the Plate for October
Friends of Guest House
This month’s offering plate will be shared with Friends of Guest House. Founded in 1974, Friends of Guest House provides Northern Virginia female ex-offenders the structure, support, and assistance necessary for them to make a successful transition from incarceration back into the community. By addressing the root causes of the cycle of crime and providing physical and emotional tools, FofGH offers their clients tangible help to prevent them from re-offending. Their program focuses on core issues ranging from trauma and addiction to housing and employment. According to national statistics, 70 percent of ex-offenders re-offend within two years compared to only 10 percent of the graduates of Friends of Guest House.
2018 Holiday Shop
Holiday Shop Countdown Continues
Thanks to those who have signed up to work (see the board in the Commons), emailed or otherwise responded with offers of Country Kitchen goodies, and brought gently used items for the Jewelry Shop and Betty's Boutique. But there's always room for more. Remember, weekdays November 12-16, Saturday, November 17, and final sales and takedown Sunday, November 18 are the days when we can use helpers. And please spread the word to your friends and neighbors. There are posters with a picture of the quilt if you know any place that would display one. Questions? Please contact Sandy Peterson (703-768-2565) or Mary Barnett (703-360-7152) with any questions.
Quilt tickets are available during coffee hour for you to buy for yourself or take to sell to your non-MVUC friends. The more we can spread the word, the better chance we have for the best Holiday Shop ever!
Soup-er People Needed!
For nearly sixty years, MVUC women (and a few men) have followed a time-honored recipe for Holiday Shop Calico Bean Soup! We provide the beans and recipe: you fill your home with the warmth of a kettle (or two) of great soup and then bring it to the Holiday Shop kitchen on Saturday (Friday ok, too) where it becomes the centerpiece of our luncheon. Will you join our Soup Line? Contact Mike Walker at 703.780.4370.
Solstice Volunteer Needed
MVUC has a tradition of celebrating Solstice on December 21 in an event coordinated by volunteers. We are currently looking for someone to plan activities and help recruit activity leaders. Assistance with supplies and PR provided. If you are available or to ask questions contact Ann Richards.
Teachers needed for 2018-19 Children’s Programs
We’re looking forward to a great year, and planning all kinds of exciting classes and programs for children and youth at MVUC. These can only be successful with your help. We’re still looking for 4 volunteers on Sunday mornings in the nursery, one teacher and two assistants in PreK-K, one advisor for the 6-8th-grade class, and one advisor for the high schoolers. Have questions? Speak with someone who’s taught before or contact Ann Richards. Sign up here to support our 2018-2019 Children's Religious Education program by teaching RE classes starting in September, or check out the info table in the Commons.
Youth Advisers Needed
The RE year is underway, and we still have two critical openings for volunteer teachers: Middle Grades and High School. If you can join the teaching team, even if just for the spring, please let us know. Have questions? Speak with someone who’s taught before or contact Ann Richards. Sign up here or check out the info table in the Commons.
AmazonSmile: Support MVUC while you Shop at Amazon.
Through November 2, AmazonSmile is donating 5% (ten times the usual amount) to Mount Vernon Unitarian Church when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/54-0625581. #AmazonSmile #StartWithaSmile
By taking a few simple steps prior to your next Amazon purchase, you can arrange for 0.5% of your purchase to be remitted from Amazon to MVUC. Log on to smile.amazon.com, or click on the logo above, and follow the instructions on how to designate your charity. In the blank provided for that purpose, enter “Mount Vernon Unitarian Church” (exactly as shown here, so that your designation matches our registered name in Amazon’s system). Thereafter, always log into smile.amazon.com rather than amazon.com when making your purchases.
Religious Education This Sunday
For a full list of Lifespan Spiritual Growth Programs including Religious Education for Children, Adult Religious Education, Multigenerational Events, and the LSG calendar, click here.
Religious Education
Religious Education First Service RE for 4-11 years; Second Service Full RE
When the entire congregation is not meeting in the chapel, the Nursery is open, and Religious Education is offered at 9:15 a.m. for 4-11-year-old children. At 11:15 a.m. Nursery, PreK-K, 1-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12 grade classes are offered. For more information, consult https://mvuc.org/learning/ or contact Ann Richards.
Nov 4
Dr. Seuss RE ages 4-11 at 9:15 am, RE for all ages at 11:15 am
Nov 4
Children’s Choir Rehearsal 10:15-11:15 am
Nov 5
TED Talks, Nursery, 7:30 pm
Nov 7
Children’s’ Choir Rehearsal in Hollin Hall at 4:15-5:15 pm
Nov 8
Lifespan Spiritual Growth Council meeting 7:30 pm Morning Room
Nov 11
Dr. Seuss RE ages 4-11 at 9:15, RE for all ages at 11:15
Nov 11
Children’s Choir Rehearsal 10:15-11:15 am
Nov 14
Children’s’ Choir Rehearsal in Hollin Hall BLUE ROOM at 4:15-5:15 pm
Nov 18
Multigenerational services at 9:15 and 11:15 No RE
Nov 18
Children’s Choir Rehearsal 10:15-11:15 am
Nov 25
One service, 10 a.m. Nursery and Childcare for ages 4-11 available No RE
Nov 25
Children’s Choir 9:15-10:15 am
Dec 1
Holiday Craft Workshop 2:30-6 pm
Dec. 1
Pizza Party, Sing-Along and Pinata 6-7:30 pm
Dec2
Dr. Seuss RE ages 4-11 at 9:15 am, RE for all ages at 11:15 am
Dec 5
Children’s Choir Rehearsal 10:15-11:15 am
RE Classrooms
First Service:
Infants and Toddlers Nursery Office side of Meeting House
Ages 4-11Green Room Second Floor, Hollin Hall
Second Service
Infants and Toddlers Nursery Office side of Meeting House
PreK-Kindergarten Green Room Second Floor, Hollin Hall
4th- 5th Grades Morning Room Second Floor, Hollin Hall
6th- 8th Grades Dining Room First Floor, Hollin Hall
9th- 12th Grades YRUU Room Second Floor, Carriage House
Adopt-a-Highway Saturday, November 3, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Please join us! We will meet in the parking lot at Sherwood Hall Library. Adults and children are welcome. This is a fun way to help our community. Thanks much, Joan and Lynne 703-768-5751.
Flowers
Flowers for Sunday's services will be donated by Mike Walker. Thank you!
The 2018-19 Sunday Flowers Sign-Up Genius is live! Select your Sunday and commemorate an occasion, or memorialize or honor a friend or family member by providing flowers for our altar. Visit the Sign-Up Genius now to sign up!
Join Other UUs in Getting Out The Vote this Fall
Voter suppression campaigns aimed at people of color, youth and naturalized citizens are undermining our communities and our democracy. One federal court put it plainly, writing that a North Carolina voting law was an unconstitutional effort to “target African-Americans with almost surgical precision.” To combat these shameful attacks, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice and the All Souls Church Reeb Project for Voting Rights have teamed up on a series of events this fall to increase voter participation in states including Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. Through partnerships with grassroots organizations, we’ll be doing in-person canvassing and phone banking to build a sense of power and community. Visit the Fall 2018 GOTV Calendar to get involved.
IT'S ** VIC HOP ** SEASON!
Once again, MVUC is taking part in New Hope Housing's Ventures in Community Hypothermia Program (VIC HOP) at Rising Hope shelter opposite Aldi on Russell Rd off Route 1.
We serve our neighbors every Thursday evening in December, January, and March by providing a hot meal for 24, 3 chaperones who monitor the shelter overnight, and a nutritious breakfast bag guests take with them at 7 am.
This excellent program and is much appreciated. Find information and clipboard to sign up in the Commons. Many thanks for your continued support. Please contact Helen Lounsbury with any questions or to sign-up at703-346-4401.
Holy Hill Tours
Would you like to know more about MVUC ‘s grounds? Do you have questions about our “Holy Hill”? Join Wendy Burns for the next few weeks after the second service. We will meet by the patio off the Commons. These tours are made possible by the generous donation is a riding cart to the church. Questions? Please contact Wendy 703-780-3204.
What's Happening at MVUC
Sunday Services: Sunday, November 4, 9:15 am and 11:15 am “Science and Religion: Can This Marriage Be Saved?” ICNA and The Rev. Chris Buice
You may be familiar with the advice column where people send in letters asking "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" Our guest minister received a similar letter from a struggling couple, like science and religion, and although he had never before done couple's counseling in the advice
column format, he dutifully made his best effort to respond. Come see if you agree with his advice.
A Long Strange Trip Facilitated by The Rev. Dr. Kate Walker
Five Saturdays October 13 - November 10, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, Nursery Field Trip Saturday, October 6 – TBD
This is a five-part series of one-hour films detailing the history of Unitarian & Universalist thought from the beginning of the Christian era to what we know today as Unitarian Universalism.
Supplementary reading list available for deeper study. Please sign up in the Commons or send an email to Jim Kerr. A Long Strange Trip is part of the MVUC program on faith and identity What Makes UU.
Gun Violence Prevention: Be Part of the Solution Saturday, November 3, 6:15 pm, Chapel
MVUC & the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) In Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence
Take part in this important discussion about how we can work together to prevent future acts of violence. Guest speakers will include Naeem Baig, ICNA’s National Director for Interfaith Activities, and Rev. Chris Buice from the Tennessee Valley UU Church in Knoxville where a fatal shooting took place in 2008. Potluck dinner will be served. Attendance is limited – add your name to the sign-up sheet in the Commons today! For more information, contact Diana Herriman 517-203-8552.
Join Us for Newcomer’s Meet & Greet for the Fall Sunday, November 4, 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm, Hollin Hall Dining Room
The Meet and Greet lunch is a great way to chat with our minister and a few longer tenured folks. If you are a new visitor or someone who would like to learn more about MVUC, join us for a light lunch in the Hollin Hall Dining Room after the second service. Look for a signup on the welcome table for our next Meet and Greet or e-mail Membership. For questions, please contact Linda Burke at 703-845-5962. Childcare is available if you let us know one week in advance by October 28).
Wim Hof Method Workshop Saturday, November 10, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Hollin Hall, $10 supply fee
In this Wim Hof Method workshop, you will learn and EXPERIENCE the fundamentals of the Wim Hof Method (WHM) from Bob Soulliere, one of the few WHM Certified Instructors here in the USA. These are the fundamental techniques the "The Iceman" Wim Hof developed over the course of 40 years. Your workshop experience will include both light lecture and hands-on training. We will explore the 3 pillars of the method: breathwork, cold exposure (ice bath), and mindset/focus. Throughout the workshop, you will be learning, moving, breathing, ice bathing, and expanding your comfort boundaries. Become Happier, Healthier, & Stronger with these scientifically-proven benefits of the WHM:
reduce inflammation
improve mood & energy
enhance sleep & relaxation
boost metabolism & immune function
decrease stress
Sign up online or in the Commons. For more information, contact Robert Soulliere.
Fall Lantern Walk Led by Cheryl Sabo
Monday, November 12
6:00 – 6:30 yoga class - open to anyone, free, patio
6:30 - 7 meditative lantern walk on paths & through the boxwood gardens
8 - 8 ending up in the meadow for an evening fire
Inspired by the Waldorf homeschool class tradition, the lantern walk has roots in many cultures, loosely aligning with Diwali November 6 and the time change we all feel on November 4. The lantern is a beautiful experience just right for preK students up through adults. We’ll begin with songs t to keep the pace slow and meditative as we walk, then end with a jam by the fire. Register in the Commons or contact Cheryl Sabo.
MVUC Circle Suppers for 2019 — Sign-Up Deadline November 18, 2018
Haven’t signed up yet? Circle Suppers are a great way to get to know other MVUC members and friends in a home setting! Circle Suppers involve revolving groupings of participants who take turns hosting or providing a part of the meal for each of four suppers. Participating pairs or singles will be grouped with different participants for each of the four supper months, which are held in January through April. There will be multiple groups each month and each group will set their own date for the supper for that month. If you would like to participate in the 2019 MVUC Circle Supper Program, as either a single or a pair, and as either a Regular or an Alternate participant, please sign up at the MVUC Membership Table in the Commons or send an e-mail to Jim Burke.
Generation X Social Group Saturday, November 24 7:00 pm, 6015 Woodlake Lane
Lost At the X-Roads Social Group - A meet-up for Generation X-ers at MVUC
Are you between the ages of approximately 35 and 60? Join us for a new generation X social group! Come As You Are Cocktails for music, games, and pontification as the mood strikes. The next meeting will be Saturday, November 24th at 7 pm at 6015 Woodlake Lane. Bring some Thanksgiving leftovers for snacks! Contact Generation X to sign up and RSVP!
Holiday Craft Workshop Saturday, December 1, 2:30 pm - 6:00 pm, Hollin Hall Holiday Craft Workshop
Construct then decorate Graham Cracker houses; assemble wreathes with MVUC boxwood; and, enjoy crafts. Fun for all ages! It’s a one-day event this year. Come early to construct your house, enjoy crafts while it dries, then decorate it before the Sing-along and Pinata! Graham Cracker houses — $9; wreath forms — $12; crafts and fun — Free! Volunteer to help click here. Reserve your houses and wreath forms here.
Holiday Pizza Party, Sing-along & Pinata Saturday, December 1, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, The Commons
Community sing-along for all ages followed by a piñata for the kids. All your favorite carols and an MVUC favorite The Twelve Days of Christmas! No singing skills required! Be there for the unveiling of the piñata theme this year! Pizza available: free but donation appreciated. Please let us know that you’re coming by clicking here.
MVUC Caring Associates The heart of our caring community
The MVUC Caring Associates is a group of twelve community members who volunteer to provide support to fellow MVUC members who are ill, in crisis or experiencing life transitions.
The support offered goes well beyond casseroles and cards. Over the years, MVUC Caring Associates have provided support in these areas:
* Home and hospital visits
* Telephone chats
* Rides to appointments, grocery shopping
* Orthopedic equipment (as available)
* And, of course…warm meals
If you know of a community member in need or if you need help yourself, please contact MVUC Caring Associates Coordinator, Pam Unger at 703-965-5111.
For orthopedic equipment needs, contact MVUC Caring Associate volunteer Sandy Peterson at 703-768-2565.
Recurring Activities / Events / Committees
We want to be sure your RECURRING activity continues to be posted on the online calendar at www.mvuc.org. Chairs and coordinators please (1) resubmit a meeting request form for your recurring activity at the start of each fiscal year, and(2) continue to check the calendar every few months to be sure the activity is still posted. The system does not permit us to enter activities indefinitely and the activity will eventually “drop off” the calendar. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Samuels.
Announcements
Thanks to our Volunteers
Our gracious thanks to all those who prepare coffee, tea and delicious and healthy foods for us each week after our Sunday services. All members of the congregation volunteer to serve during (and before and after) the coffee hour following each service on a rotating basis.
New Coffee Hour Rotation Began June 3
Thank you to everyone who has climbed on the bandwagon and helped out this year in the 2nd year of the new coffee hour volunteer system. We know there have been a few kinks to work out but feel that they have been pretty well smoothed over with the help of feedback from everyone. We are continuing this system and want to let you know that the new rotation for the year started on June 4. Groups have been set up, leaders assigned and you will get a call or email at the beginning of the month as a reminder. The list will be available in the Commons if you would like to get a head start. Please remember that if you can't work your scheduled Sunday we would appreciate it if you found someone to switch with. Thank you for your continued support of the Coffee Hour. Questions? Contact Bonnie Iredell.
Flower Donations
Want to donate flowers? Please, contact Angel Collins.
Meeting Room Requests
As our community grows, along with increased renters, it is especially helpful to submit your meetings/events room requests two weeks in advance to compete to secure your space. In addition, the advance requests using the form helps office staff to “dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s” and serve this wonderful community even better. Need a form? Email Susan Samuels or pick up a form in the box above the staff mailboxes.
Keep In Touch ...
Changes are a part of life, and we’d like to know how to reach you. If you have a new email, phone number, or address, please let us know. Send updates to Susan Samuels.
Ongoing Adult Religious Education
Contemplative Group Sundays, 10:15 am, Hollin Hall, Sun Porch *9:00 am when there is only one service
Deepen your spiritual life through contemplative practice. A typical session includes selected readings from different traditions, a period of silent meditation, and brief discussions. Contact: Jim Kerr
Laughter Yoga Sunday, November 11, 10:30-11 am, Second Sundays of each month
Hasya Yoga (Laughter Yoga) combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group but with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon may turn into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter... one gets the same physiological and psychological benefits! Led by certified instructor Claire Brolin. For more information contact Jim Kerr.
Sitting Meditation Sundays, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Carriage House
We practice sitting meditation and study readings from Jack Kornfeld, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sharon Salzberg, and others. The readings provide encouragement, instruction, and support for those with no previous experience in Buddhist meditation. We practice for our own benefit and the benefit of others. Introductory instruction is available for newcomers. Led by Dale Peebles. You do not need to register in advance. For more information contact Jim Kerr.
Knitting in the Spirit First and Third Tuesdays monthly, 7 pm, Meeting House or Offsite
Knitters from beginners to experienced are invited to meet for knitting, discussion, knitting assistance, and comradery. Absolute beginners, spinners, crocheters, and other handicrafters welcome. Sign up in the Commons, or contact Ann Richards for more information and to confirm location.
TED Talks Monday, November 5, 7:30 pm, Nursery, First Mondays each month
Isaac Lidsky, author and entrepreneur: Reality isn't something you perceive; it's something you create in your mind. Isaac Lidsky learned this profound lesson firsthand when unexpected life circumstances yielded valuable insights. In this introspective, personal talk, he challenges us to let go of excuses, assumptions, and fears, and accept the awesome responsibility of being the creators of our own reality. Also, Janine Shepherd, pilot: Cross-country skier Janine Shepherd hoped for an Olympic medal -- until she was hit by a truck during a training bike ride. She shares a powerful story about the human potential for recovery. Her message: you are not your body, and giving up old dreams can allow new ones to soar. This Ted presentation will be followed by a discussion facilitated by Rev. Dr. Kate Walker. Register in the Commons or online. Contact Jim Kerr for more information.
UUs & Elsewhere
Nothin’ Fancy Bluegrass at BRUU Friday, December 14, 7:30 pm, Bull Run Unitarian Universalists,
9350 Main Street, Manassas VA 20110
Six-time award winner – Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association (SPGBMA) – Entertaining Group of the Year. ONE NIGHT ONLY! 6: 00 pm doors open, 7:30 pm showtime.
Nothin’ Fancy was formed in 1994 to compete in a bluegrass competition. After discovering the undeniable camaraderie between its members, it has continued working together and gained a large fan base of loyal followers. The band has released 11 full-length albums, and continues to perform at festivals all across the United States and Canada, and even in Norway.
Tickets are $20, general admission, all ages. You can reserve your tickets here! You can also visit the Facebook event page here and invite your friends and family. For more information and questions, please email bluegrass@bruu.org or call 703-732-1000.
Building the Beloved Community (BBC): The 8th Principle Film Series Friday, December 7, 2018, 7:00 pm, Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis
Join co-director, Eduardo López for this special screening and talk after the movie of the untold story of Latinos in America.
$5 suggested donation.
Families welcome & babysitting provided - reserve a spot by November 30.
Based on the groundbreaking book by Juan González, Harvest of Empire takes an unflinching look at the role that U.S. economic and military interests played in triggering an unprecedented wave of migration that is transforming our nation’s cultural and economic landscape.
From the wars for territorial expansion that gave the U.S. control of Puerto Rico, Cuba and more than half of Mexico, to the covert operations that imposed oppressive military regimes in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador, Harvest of Empire unveils a moving human story that is largely unknown to the great majority of citizens in the U.S.
As Juan González says at the beginning of the film, “They never teach us in school that the huge Latino presence here is a direct result of our own government’s actions in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America over many decades — actions that forced millions from that region to leave their homeland and journey north.”
Harvest of Empire provides a rare and powerful glimpse into the enormous sacrifices and rarely-noted triumphs of our nation’s growing Latino community. The film features present-day immigrant stories, rarely seen archival material, as well as interviews with such respected figures as Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchú, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Junot Díaz, Mexican historian Dr. Lorenzo Meyer, journalists María Hinojosa and Geraldo Rivera, Grammy award-winning singer Luis Enrique, and poet Martín Espada.
The 8th Principle Film Series is presented by UUCA's Building the Beloved Community (BBC). Our congregation voted for a resolution to add the 8th Principle to our religion's principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. It is: “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
This Week at MVUC e-mail newsletter and Sunday's MVUC Weekly Bulletin submission deadline is Monday evenings. Later submissions may or may not be included in the weekly MVUC publications. Please send your announcements to announcements@mvuc.org.
When sending your announcements for the weekly MVUC publications please include:
Name or Title of Event Day, Date, Time, Location
Description (please be concise). Contact information (phone, e-mail or website).
Windmill submission deadline is the 15th of the month. Please e-mail articles (titled "Windmill") to newsletters@mvuc.org. Items will be edited to fit available space.
This Week at MVUC
This Week at MVUC is edited by the Church Administrator, Carolyn White. As of April 2017, we now reach more than 500 subscribers with news of our congregation and community. Let's keep growing! Send any information to be published for announcements by Monday of every week. Send e-mail address changes to Susan Samuels.
A Long Strange Trip
